Quercus Day in Argentina

On April 25 Grigadale Arboretum in Argentina received a small group of visitors for its first Oak Day. Participants came from near and far (from Buenos Aires at 500 km, and even from Salta in the north of Argentina, almost 2,000 km away) and included IOS members Peter Laharrague and Marilyn Mulville, members of the International Dendrology Society, a researcher from a leading botanic garden, and other oak enthusiasts—or soon to be enthusiasts.

The day started with a presentation introducing Quercus and outlining the challenges and rewards of collecting oaks, after which we visited the quercetum, both the original plantings (1995-2007) and the latest additions tothe collection. In the afternoon, Peter Laharrague spoke to us about his experiences with the IOS and his own plantings of Quercus. The day ended with an “acorn buffet” where participants were able to help themselves to acorns collected at Peter’s arboretum and at Grigadale. We estimated that between us we had over 50 taxa on offer.

It so happened that this event took place on ANZAC Day, commemorating 100 years since the first landings of ANZAC troops on Gallipoli Peninsula in World War 1. Following the example of the Gallipoli Oak Project (see article here), we planted a seedling grown from seed of the specimen of Q. coccifera ssp. calliprinos growing in Grigadale Arboretum.

We are hoping to repeat the event next year, perhaps extending it to two days and combining it with a visit to Peter’s arboretum.